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Vulcan and Mine Ventilation

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

By
Steve Uecker
Maptek - Denver

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Introduction
The ultimate function of a mine ventilation system (MVS) is to provide a
healthy, comfortable, and safe working environment for the underground

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

workers
To achieve this goal a proper airflow distribution through a network of
airways must be designed
Generally, the engineering of MVS is to predict the airflow distribution and
the duties of the main fan(s).
Computers used in ventilation network analysis helps in planning and
design of complex mine ventilation systems
Maptek has made an effort to incorporate ventilation design software in
VULCAN based on the inter-relationships that exist between ventilation,
strata control, drainage, material handling systems and mining methods.

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Planning of Mine Ventilation System

New Facilities
Conceptual studies to identify the most
feasible plan

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Projections concerning detailed forcasting of
fan duties, airflow, pressure distributions and
ventilation operating costs
Design a specific air quality control system for
maximum safety and cost efficiency

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Planning of Mine Ventilation System

Existing Facilities
Based on ventilation survey data a numerical
model of the existing system can be established

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

To insure that this model is a true representation
of the existing ventilation conditions, a validation
process must be performed
This model can be used to predict requirements
for future development and to make
recommendations to correct existing problems

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Features of the Ventilation Module

Utilize the Envisage environment

Familiar tools for creating and editing

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

network schematics
Powerful graphics for viewing schematics
in 3D
Ventilation network may be viewed with all
other relevant data

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Existing Design Layer

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Autor: Steve Uecker
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Open Ventilation Network

Ventilation network
stored in ASCII spec

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

file
Allows both a name
and a description
Automatically loads
up any design layers

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Loaded Ventilation Network

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Autor: Steve Uecker
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Setting Network Defaults

Default colours and line
style

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Defaults for branches
Air Density (kg/m3)
Resistance (N*s2/m8)
R/L
Area (m2)
Perimeter (m)
K (kg/m3)
Le (m)

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Managing the Branches Within a Network

Create New Branch

Edit the properties

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

of an existing
branch
Reverse direction of
airflow within a
branch
Delete a branch
from the network

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Defining Branches
Create a branch by
either digitizing or

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

selecting existing object
in Envisage
Automatically calculates
length
Enter parameters
including resistance,
density, static pressure
and type for that branch

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Add Fans to the Network

Fans are stored in
an ASCII file

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Same file can be
used for multiple
ventilation networks
Add, edit or delete
existing fans
Save the fan file

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Defining Fans
Fan name and
description

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

3 different ways to
define the fan data
Equation
Curve
Fixed Pressure

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Define Fans by Equation

Input:
Starting Airflow (Q)

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Coefficient (A0)
Coefficient (A1)
Coefficient (A2)
Coefficient (A3)

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Define Fan by Fan Curve

Enter up to 10
values of Pressure

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

and Airflow to Define
the Curve
y = -0.0013x3 +
0.5685x2 - 103.49x
+ 11784

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Define Fan by Fixed Pressure

Enter in a single
pressure value (p)

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Autor: Steve Uecker
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Execute Simulation
Once you have
defined the

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

ventilation network
(branches and fans),
run the simulation
Input:
Absolute pressure at
the reference point
Air density at
reference point

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Simulation Output

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Autor: Steve Uecker
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Simulation Output (cont)

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Autor: Steve Uecker
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Viewing the Results

Currently 3 ways to
display the

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

ventilation network
in Envisage:
Resistance
Airflow
Pressure Drop

Autor: Steve Uecker

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Display - Resistance

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

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Display - Airflow

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Autor: Steve Uecker
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Display Pressure Drop

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

Autor: Steve Uecker
 Create a new network by selecting Underground:
Ventilation: Open Network.

Is a fan defined in a
No fan specification
file?
Create a fan spec by selecting Underground:
Ventilation: Open Fan File.
Yes

Add a fan to the fan spec by selecting

Underground: Ventilation: Add Fan.

Using a fan spec file allows easy grouping of individual fan

curves for a given project.
Fan data can be entered from the equation of the fan curve,
from points on the curve, or by fixed pressure.

Does a mine design No

(centerlines) exist?

The network nodes and branches will be

Yes digitized interactively

Load the layer(s) containing the design

objects File: Layers: List.
 Would you like to set
Yes up defaults for
Set defaults using Underground: Ventilation: nodes/branches?
Defaults.
No
Node color, branch color and line type, density, and
resistance value defaults can be changed here.

Create nodes and branches Underground:

Ventilation: Create Branch.
You will be prompted to select the digitizing
method
Digitise
Select

Does a centerline
No exist that you
would like to define
as a branch?
Pick Digitise, and select the start node.
Yes
All standard
Pick Select.
digitizing input
You will be prompted to select the line, select the
methods should be
start node, and select the end node.
available.
 Is the next
point the Yes
end node?
Right click.
No
Continue selecting points. Do you want to enter
branch data No
interactively?
Click OK to accept default branch
Yes parameters. Branches can be edited later
using Underground: Ventilation: Edit
Branch.

Enter branch parameters in the Branch Data panel.

Resistance can be entered as:
Known (taken from defaults or manually entered).
Resistance per unit length (i.e. per 100m).
Atkinsons Equation (option for perimeter and area to be taken from a primitive or
triangulation, K and Le values from a library).
R=p/Q2.
Density can be entered as:
Known (taken from defaults or manually entered).
From vent survey spec files.
Branch Static Pressure (XNVP) can be entered as:
Known (manually entered).
XNVP=Ro*deltaE*g (Ro can be taken from vent survey data, and deltaE can be
taken from vent survey data).
Specify the branch type (fixed quantity assigned, regulator assigned, inflow assigned,
CH4 assigned, or specify that a fan is placed in the branch.

Finished
defining No
branches?
Yes
 Would you
Yes like to edit a
branch?
Branches can be deleted, and nodes can be moved or
inserted into an existing branch. If nodes are inserted, No
the new branch can take its parameters from the previous
branch, or the Branch Data panel can be called to enter
new parameters.
Underground: Ventilation: Delete Branch, Insert Node, or
Move Node.
Parameters can be changed using Underground:
Ventilation: Edit Branch.

Execute the simulation Underground:

Ventilation: Execute Simulation.
This will produce a formatted output file
for use in the fire simulation module.

To view the results in Envisage, set up a scheme for each parameter using
Analyse: Legend Edit: Create (contour colour scheme). Select Underground:
Ventilation: Display to bring up the Annotation Parameters panel. You can
select the parameter used to color the lines, the parameter that you would like
to annotate next to the line, and you can specify the scheme to use for each
parameter. Also included are check boxes to view the (symbol) of the fan, any
boosters, and any regulators.

Reporting (Underground: Ventilation: Report) will include the ability to save

formatted (comma separated) reports on node data, branch data, fan data, survey data,
and branch results.
Also included in the Report menu will be the ability output to the screen or report
window the number of nodes, branches, iterations, accuracy of Q, and accuracy of p.
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Conclusions and Future Development

The ventilation module allows the user to

model the network inside of Envisage without

VULCAN and Mine Ventilation

having to export the design or existing
development
The ventilation model projects a number of
quantities for each branch in the network
Future development includes a fire simulation
module that will allow the prediction/planning
for a series of events

Autor: Steve Uecker